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Michel Bras
Michel Bras was born in 1946 in Gabriac in the Aubrac region of southwest France. He and his wife, Ginette, have two children. Their older son, Sebastien, works alongside his father in the kitchen. Michel's father was a blacksmith while his mother kept the family auberge in Laguiole, near Gabriac.
As a child, Michel watched his mother produce wholesome, simple fare for auberge guests. He vividly remembers Mass on Armistice Day when fouace, the regional sweet bread, was handed out warm... coming home from school to those little bread fillers spread with the creamy skin of the milk and sprinkled with chocolate powder... snacks of slabs of dark chocolate cut into four... and suppertime with homemade soup into which his mother had broken crusts of bread. These and other memories of the foods and rich sensations of his childhood still come flooding back.
Bras works these impressions into his cooking, drawing inspiration from both his childhood and the region. At the same time, his cuisine is distinctly contemporary. He taught himself the culinary techniques which he has acquired, as he never fulfilled his dream of apprenticing with the great chefs.
To maintain a balance in his life, Bras likes to run. When exercising, he rediscovers his roots, re-centers himself and unwinds. Over time he has come to develop his eye for nature, taking the time to observe and contemplate his region. This scutiny has become integral to his creativity.
The plateau of the Aubrac may seem austere, sparse and almost spiritual to the newcomer. To Michel Bras, it holds a spectacular beauty, which he captures in recipes and photography with stunning results. He has strengthened his bond with nature through a special relationship with gardener friends. Together, they carefully research and savor vegetable varieties of the past and other local plant species.
In 1978, Ginette and Michel Bras were recognized by both of France's foremost guides to haute cuisine. At first, Gault & Millau gave them a score of 15 out of 20, while the Michelin guide awarded them one star. In 1987, they received their second Michelin star and the highest possible Gault & Millau score, 19 out of 20.
Today, Michel Bras is flourishing. Since 1992, he has lived on Puech du Suquet, a small mountain overlooking Laguiole, which is home to his artistry. His hotel-restaurant, Michel Bras, is a creation of light, rock and vegetation that merges gracefully with the pastures of the Aubrac plateau. The region, its lifestyle and resources, employed both traditionally and with modern interpretations, are reflected in the architecture, the cuisine and even the table settings. The whole is a harmonious balance of all that is wholesome and beautiful. Here, the word Bienvenu has a very special meaning.
In 1999, the Michelin Guide awarded Ginette and Michel, and their assistants Veronique and Sebastien, the supreme honor of three stars -- a fitting recognition for thirty years of effort and devotion.
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**Michel Bras at Laguiole** - Website links to learn more about Michel Bras's culinary philosophy, distinct cuisine and extraordinary inn, plus contact information for inquiries and reservations. |
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